


Like a Stunned Mullet

by Veldeia



Series: Captain America/Iron Man Bingo 2016 [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Australia, Alternate Universe - Mining, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Background Steve Rogers/Thor - Freeform, Cave-In, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Past Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-28 12:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7640281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veldeia/pseuds/Veldeia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Tony Stark, mining engineer, dying under a boulder, he and Steve Rogers, mining captain, realize they have things to tell one another.</p><p>Part 3 of the AU Au au, fill for the bingo prompt "near-death confessions".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like a Stunned Mullet

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: this series of three ficlets is based on a setting that's a silly pun (AU Au au - Australian gold mine alternate universe), written rather hurriedly as last-minute bingo fills!
> 
> Beta thanks to [Muccamukk](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Muccamukk/pseuds/Muccamukk), who saved the fic from lazily written first aid. :)

**mullet: like a stunned mullet**

> _Dazed, stupefied; uncomprehending; unconscious. The phrase alludes to the goggle-eyed stare (and sometimes gaping mouth) of a fish that has been recently caught and made unconscious. A person typically looks like a stunned mullet as the result of a sudden shock or surprise. The phrase is recorded from 1918._  
>    
>  -[Australian National Dictionary Centre](http://andc.anu.edu.au/australian-words/meanings-origins?field_alphabet_value=181)  
> 

  


* * *

  


Tony was dying. Steve couldn't bring himself to comprehend the idea. It was incredible enough that Tony was here, right next to him, on the mine floor, but that Steve might lose him was unthinkable, and unacceptable.

He hadn't seen Tony in two years, since he'd left the States. Most of that time, he'd been actively avoiding anything to do with home. He'd wondered how Tony was doing, of course. He'd thought about Tony a lot. Too much. Even when he'd been with Bucky, and no less after they'd gone their separate ways.

Australia had been a safe pick. The only person he knew in the entire country had been Thor, who was the best kind of company when looking for a distraction: easy-going, good-looking, and perfectly fine with casual, no-strings-attached sex.

There had been no reason for Tony to be here—except, apparently, to pay a visit in order to help troubleshoot the advanced automatic systems that had recently been installed in the mine. Seeing Tony had felt like getting slabbed. Of course, not long after, the rocks had actually begun falling, and here they were, trapped, with nothing to do but wait for rescue. With Tony bleeding to death under a boulder.

It was downright impressive how long Tony had been able to keep up the airy front, with not as much small talk as cross-examining what Steve had been up to, and what his life was currently like. Tony had talked less about his own life, mostly in offhand remarks that varied between egotistical, self-deprecating, and his unique mix of both at the same time. Unfortunately, that could only last for so long. They'd been stuck for hours. Occasionally, they'd heard sounds reverberating through the boulders around them, the deep rumble of shifting muck, but it was never distinct enough to tell if it was caused by approaching rescuers.

Tony had been silent for a few minutes now, his eyes closed, his breathing audibly strained, red streaks in his goatee from the blood he'd coughed up. Beneath Steve's fingers, his pulse felt far too weak, his skin clammy.

Steve gave Tony's shoulder a squeeze. "You still with me?" he asked. He couldn't let Tony drift off and succumb to shock. They'd be rescued. It'd be okay. Steve would hold on to that thought.

"Haven't been with you," Tony rasped, his eyes opening to glare tiredly at Steve. "For two years. You miss the memo?"

As answers went, that did the job, and felt like a bucket of ice water over his head. "I did get the memo," Steve said. He didn't let go of Tony's shoulder. He knew he shouldn't say anything, but he couldn't help it. "Do you ever regret it? That we broke up?"

He regretted those words as soon as they were out, and Tony didn't make it any better. He laughed, a mirthless sound even more painful than the terrible bouts of coughing that kept racking him.

  


* * *

  


Tony had never been in this much pain in his entire life. No matter how cautious his breaths, his side burned constantly with the agony of whatever had impaled him. His legs had long since had fallen asleep, because moving them had made the boulder shift and hurt him worse.

Admittedly, his life had been pretty easy, so far, when it came to physical pain. Accidents rarely happened in mines, these days, and in any case, he'd almost never set foot in one, despite working in the industry. Even here, he could've skipped the underground tour and focused on the technology, but he'd been curious.

If he'd just stayed above ground, he wouldn't be dying. But he also wouldn't have run into Steve. Silver lining and all that.

And then Steve had to go and say it: "Do you ever regret it? That we broke up?"

Tony shouldn't have laughed. That was the worst thing he could do. All those muscles that he shouldn't move. God. It was so bad, Steve's face blurred out and for a moment he couldn't even hear anything.

"Yeah," Tony finally said, when the pain had settled enough that he could speak.

"So do I," Steve said. "And the Safety Agreement—I'm not going to say I was wrong and you were right. I think we were both wrong."

"Yeah," Tony replied. Speaking complex sentences was beyond him, and there was no way he could focus on forming an actual coherent argument about that old debate. Now that he thought about it, here, in his final moments, it felt entirely meaningless. He'd broken up with Steve because of a disagreement over some stupid piece of paper. What kind of an idiot would do that?

They both regretted breaking up. That meant that maybe, just maybe, they could give it another go. Except for the minor detail that he'd be dead in a matter of—hours—minutes—he didn't know, but surely it wouldn't be long, now. He was so cold.

Steve didn't hate him. Some part of him, the part not busy worrying about impending doom, was glad about that.

He could feel his lungs filling with fluid. His breath caught in his throat, and he had to cough again, and for a while there, everything faded away.

"Tony. Please. Open your eyes," Steve said.

He did, for a while, but he couldn't keep them open for long. Not even for Steve.

Steve's pleading voice made him sad and happy at the same time. He didn't want Steve to be sad, but he was happy Steve was there.

A heavy sound broke through the stupor Tony had fallen into, and he thought, maybe that was it, maybe that would be what death sounded like—but then there was a voice that wasn't Steve's.

"Yes! Over here! Thank God," Steve shouted.

**Author's Note:**

> Though originally a three-parter, this series also now has a 4th part. Click on to the next work in the 2016 Bingo fill series to read it.


End file.
